B’nai B’rith International denounces the United Church of Canada (UCC) for calling upon its two million members to boycott Israeli companies that do business in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Last week, the United Church of Canada’s general council approved boycotts of Israeli companies Keter Plastic, SodaStream and Ahava. This is a continuation of a resolution passed by the church in August 2012 to boycott Israeli products exported from the West Bank and east Jerusalem. This time, the UCC has specific targets and plans to dissuade Canadian businesses from selling the products of the targeted businesses. The reasoning behind these actions, the church said, is its view that Israeli settlements are the “principal obstacle to peace in the region.” “With Canada being such a principled supporter of Israel and of peace, it is distressing that the United Church of Canada would engage in the boycotting of Israeli companies and their products,” B’nai B’rith International President Allan J. Jacobs said. “To pass this resolution is to attack Israel, and to single out the Jewish state for hostility while ignoring the real impediments to peace in the Middle East.” “Anytime an organization decides to promote a campaign boycotting Israeli products or companies, it is clearly a move seeking to hurt Israelis,” B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin said. “This boycott will only serve to cause more friction in the region, and to recklessly export it to the Christian-Jewish relationship in North America.” The primary obstacle to peace in the region is Palestinian intransigence. Until the Palestinians agree to return to the negotiating table without pre-conditions—and to end violent extremists’ rejection of Jews’ fundamental rights in their homeland—prospects for peace will sadly remain dim.

B’nai B’rith International commends Argentine Special Prosecutor Alberto Nisman for recognizing Iran’s infiltration into Latin America and noting the dangerous implications of Tehran’s easy access across the region. Nisman is the prosecutor investigating the 1994 bombing of the Argentine-Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) building that killed 85 and wounded 300. Since he began his investigation in 2005, Nisman has uncovered evidence that Iran, through its terrorist arm Hezbollah, was behind the attack. Interpol has issued arrest warrants for the Iranian perpetrators, but to date, no arrests have been made. In a report released May 29, Nisman asserts that there could already be Iranian plans to launch terror attacks through its own intelligence stations set up across Latin America. Nisman wrote that the AMIA attack was not an isolated incident: “It has to be investigated as a segment in a larger sequence.” “This very public exposure of the ongoing Iranian threat should be a wake-up call to leaders across Latin America and beyond that Iranian government satellite offices in Latin America could easily serve as covert terror operations,” said B’nai B’rith International President Allan J. Jacobs. “Iran is the world’s largest state-sponsor of terror. The AMIA attack in 1994 and the bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires in 1992 are clear examples that Iran knows how to bide its time as it sets terror plots in motion.” As Iran has strengthened its ties in the region, its operatives have searched for and found additional allies. Iran’s activities in Latin America undermine the security of the entire region. “The findings in this new report underscore the very faulty premise of the pact signed this year between Argentina and Iran to jointly investigate the AMIA bombing,” B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin said. “Iran has never cooperated in the investigation of the AMIA bombing, refusing to surrender those previously implicated in the attack. Once again, we have a report that underscores the menace that is Iran.”

This week the World Health Organization is holding its annual assembly in Geneva. Mixed in among the pressing global health issues to be discussed are health conditions within the “occupied” Palestinian territories, as well as the “occupied Syrian” Golan. This agenda item is directly focused on Israel, the only such item which is country specific. This is just another example of the Palestinians and Syria's Assad regime using an international forum to demonize Israel.

B’nai B’rith is discouraged that the World Health Organization would allow the Palestinians and those aligned with them to politicize the assembly instead of putting all of its efforts into important agenda items like influenza control or non-communicable diseases.

The assembly has already passed a resolution for the second consecutive year criticizing Israel for its health care-related dealings with the Palestinians.

The Palestinian Authority is clearly emboldened by its upgrade in status to non-member “state” at the United Nations General Assembly, and because of this, the PA is continually shirking direct negotiations with Israel. The only way to peace between Israel and the Palestinians is to return to the negotiating table, not engage in continued smear campaigns at the United Nations.

B’nai B’rith International has issued the following statement in the wake of a hate-filled anti-Semitic speech by Louis Farrakhan at Fellowship Chapel in Detroit:

Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, once again employed his usual litany of anti-Semitic hatred, talking about "Satanic Jews" as well as the "Synagogue of Satan," implying that Jews control government and businesses in the country.

Unfortunately, we are no longer surprised by the outrageous, offensive and dangerous comments of Farrakhan, which serve to threaten Jews and undermine Israel, as well as incite hatred.

Because Farrakhan has a decades-long record of anti-Semitic tirades, we are also disappointed that U.S. Rep. John Conyers and major local Detroit leaders attended the event in the first place and then didn’t condemn Farrakhan’s remarks after.

B’nai B’rith International has opened its Flood, Tornado and Hurricane Disaster Relief Fund in the wake of the devastating tornado that ripped through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on May 20, killing at least 24, injuring many more and flattening much of the town. The death toll is still expected to rise. The funds raised will be used to help the victims of the tornado as they look to rebuild their town, which has been described by many as now resembling a war zone.

The tornado moved across a 20-mile stretch with winds of at least 200 mph. In the path of the deadly storm were a hospital and an elementary school, both of which were destroyed. Rescue workers labored throughout the night searching for survivors amongst the wreckage. This is the third major tornado to devastate the area in the last 15 years.

“No amount of advanced warning could have prepared the people of Moore for the horrors this storm has brought. We’re going to do our best to help these people get back on their feet,” B’nai B’rith International President Allan J. Jacobs said. “B’nai B’rith has helped disaster victims since 1865. Each disaster we help with has its own unique challenges. As always, we will carefully evaluate needs and provide assistance to address immediate needs and longer term rebuilding efforts.”

The B’nai B’rith Flood, Tornado and Hurricane Disaster Relief Fund aided victims of Hurricane Sandy in the fall of 2012, as well as the victims of tornadoes in the South and Midwest. B’nai B’rith disaster relief funds have also provided aid to victims of the famine in East Africa, the 2011 tsunami and earthquake in Japan and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti; and provided humanitarian assistance to the Somali refugees fleeing violent conflict to Kenya.

“The images of Moore are absolutely gut-wrenching. But as bleak as things look right now, we need to press on and help our fellow citizens rebuild their lives,” B’nai B’rith Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin said. “We will work with representatives of agencies and our members on the ground to provide assistance where it is needed in the wake of this tornado.”To help, donate online at our secure website by clicking here.

You can also call 800-573-9057 to make a credit card contribution over the phone. Or, you can send a check payable to the B’nai B’rith Disaster Relief Fund to:

B’nai B’rith International is outraged as Iran is set to chair the United Nations-sponsored Conference on Disarmament from May 27 to June 23, despite the country’s ongoing efforts to obtain nuclear weapons. Iran will chair the conference by way of protocol, with the 65-nation meeting rotating chairs based on alphabetical order. Hungary chaired the last conference. For Iran to head this conference is a total farce and further legitimizes a regime that blatantly defies the will of the international community. On top of its nuclear weapons program—for which Iran has been repeatedly sanctioned by the U.N. Security Council—Iran is the world’s most active state-sponsor of international terror, supplying arms to a number of terrorist organizations, including Hezbollah. Iran is also guilty of being a serial human rights abuser. B’nai B’rith commends the United States Mission to the United Nations for its refusal to attend the conference while Iran presides. It is clear Iran has no interest in disarming or disbanding its nuclear weapons program, and this meeting will merely serve Iranian propaganda purposes.

B’nai B’rith International commends the Newseum for deciding against honoring two men who worked for Al-Aqsa Television, a Hamas propaganda entity. The Newseum was previously set to honor the two men with the Journalist Memorial, a tribute given to reporters who died while gathering and reporting news. On May 12, B’nai B’rith expressed outrage over the Newseum’s plans to honor the Hamas operatives. We welcome the decision by the Newseum to rescind the award as questions of potential terrorist activities began to surround the honorees. The men worked for Al-Aqsa Television, a station noted for airing anti-Israel programming featuring shows and characters that call for Israel’s destruction and violence against Israelis. The U.S. government describes Al-Aqsa as a Hamas-controlled entity.

It is outrageous that the once-prestigious Newseum, a museum devoted to honoring and celebrating journalism, has chosen to honor two terrorists, claiming they were journalists. This shameful decision is a taint on the museum.

The Washington, D.C.-based museum has chosen to honor two men who worked for Al-Aqsa Television, a Hamas propaganda entity notable for airing anti-Israel programming featuring shows and characters who call for Israel’s destruction and violence against Israelis.

The U.S. government describes Al-Aqsa as a Hamas-controlled entity.

To have these Al-Aqsa propagandists receiving the same Journalist Memorial award bestowed upon such journalists as Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter murdered by terrorists in 2002, is a disgrace.

The Journalists Memorial recognizes 2,246 journalists killed in the line of duty. The two Hamas terrorists should not be among them.

The B'nai B'rith World Center in Jerusalem announced the 2013 winners of the B’nai B’rith World Center Award for Journalism Recognizing Excellence in Diaspora Reportaģe in Memory of Wolf and Hilda Matsdorf. Moshe Alafi, documentary film director and producer, received the award in the electronic media category, while Zvika Klein, a reporter for Ma’ariv and Makor Rishon, received the prize in the print media category. The judges also presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to veteran journalist David Landau, former editor-in-chief of Ha’aretz and managing editor of The Jerusalem Post. The award was given to Landau for his contribution to extended Diaspora reporting during his tenure at both newspapers. Since its establishment in 1992, the B’nai B’rith World Center Award for Journalism has recognized excellence in reporting on contemporary Diaspora-Jewish communities and on the state of Israel-Diaspora relations in Israeli print and electronic media. The award is widely recognized as a prestigious prize in the Israeli media industry. It was established to highlight the important contributions the media can make toward strengthening the relationship between Israel and world Jewry—so essential for the resilience of both—by encouraging quality reporting on Diaspora communities and Israel-Diaspora relations. The distinguished panel of judges include: Yehudith Auerbach, professor in the School of Communication at Bar Ilan University; Eytan Bentsur, former Ministry of Foreign Affairs director general; Sara Frenkel, former Diaspora correspondent for Israel Radio and 2002 Lifetime Achievement Award winner; Shalom Kital, former director general of News Company and Channel 2; Tamar Liebes, professor and former head of the Department of Communication and Journalism at Hebrew University; Gabriela Shalev, professor and chair of the Higher Academic Council at Ono Academic College, as well as a former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations; Bambi Sheleg, founder and editor-in-chief of Eretz Acheret, and a 2011 award winner; and Asher Weill, publisher and editor of ARIEL - The Israel Review of Arts and Letters.

Moshe Alafi

The jury presented the award in the print media category to Klein, 30, the Judaism section editor for Maariv’s online newspaper NRG. Klein is also the Diaspora correspondent for NRG and Makor Rishon. In 2012, Klein penned a nine-article series for Makor Rishon on various aspects of Jewish life in the Diaspora, including the singles scene in Manhattan, virtual religious communities and the effect of the Toulouse, France, murders on the Jewish community. Alafi, 47, received the award in the electronic media category for his series “Communities in a New Light 2012” that was broadcast on Israel Television/Channel 1 during the 2012 Hanukah holiday. The series presented vignettes about the Jewish communities in Toronto; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Odessa, Ukraine; Oslo, Norway; Torino, Italy; Toulouse, France; and Boston. "The marked increase of applicants and entries for this year's award over recent years is indication that interest in Diaspora Jewry and Israel-Diaspora relations is strong and growing among Israelis and encourages us to continue with this important project," B'nai B'rith World Center Director Alan Schneider said. The B’nai B’rith World Center Award for Journalism is named for the late Wolf Matsdorf and his wife Hilda. Wolf was an editor of the B’nai B’rith World Center Journal “Leadership Briefing” and a journalist in Israel and Australia. Hilda was a pioneer in social work in both Australia and Israel. The Lifetime Achievement Award is named for Luis and Trudi Schydlowsky. The Award is made possible through donations from Daniel Schydlowsky, a professor and a member of the B’nai B’rith World Center International Board of Governors, and the Matsdorf family.

B’nai B’rith International has issued the following statement:B’nai B’rith has been informed by a senior U.N. official that 9/11 “truther” Annie Machon will not be a speaker at a June 6 briefing on “[saving] succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” Last month, B’nai B’rith learned that the U.N. Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organizations Relations section (DPI/NGO) and the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations planned on including Machon in the panel discussion they were scheduled to host at U.N. headquarters in New York. B’nai B’rith wrote to both U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the Swiss mission to urge that Machon be disinvited from the program. Machon, a former MI5 intelligence officer, has publically insisted that the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were an inside job carried out by the U.S. government “as a pretext for war and… to erode our freedom,” as she was quoted as saying in a 2007 interview. She has also claimed that the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, was behind the 1994 bombing of Israel’s embassy in London, saying that a staged terror attack would help paint Palestinians in a negative light throughout the United Kingdom and undermine any public support for them. B’nai B’rith had noted the extreme inappropriateness of an appearance by Machon at the United Nations. Her outrageous and offensive views do not deserve a prominent platform—let alone in the city most scarred by the horrific events of 9/11.